Alaska trip in a cab-over-camper

[Mr.Goat]

Grizzly



You sure are getting alot of great information. You'll be the most informed traveller up there. Maybe we should all get together and write a book on our travels.

In regards to the Alaskan brew for your son. If you check an earlier post of mine theres a guy who makes a really good dark ale in Haines. It's only available in Haines as he's to small to distribute. The locals tell me you have to go to his house with your own container to get it or one of the two pubs in town. It is probably has no preservatives so it may or may not last the trip home. But if kept in the fridge it will probably make the trip.

Alittle story about the Dempster: I arrived at a little camping spot just off the road beside the Blackstone river about 8:30 in the evening. It was cold and the clouds were very ominous in the sky and as DBF says you felt very much way out in the boony's and totally alone in the world. The next morning I'am up early, dawn the chest waders and with fly rod in hand I proceed to catch grayling for a couple hrs. I never seen or heard a sole for the whole time. I get back to the camper cold and wet as it was 31' F and one leg of the waders leaked. With fish in one hand and fly rod in the other I was fussing with trying to get the door of the camper open when a Holland America bus pulls up and the flash bulbs started from the inside, then it drives off. It sure took the edge off the total wilderness feeling and being in the boony's.

 

[Grizzly]

Grizzly



You sure are getting alot of great information. You'll be the most informed traveller up there. Maybe we should all get together and write a book on our travels.

In regards to the Alaskan brew for your son. If you check an earlier post of mine theres a guy who makes a really good dark ale in Haines. It's only available in Haines as he's to small to distribute. The locals tell me you have to go to his house with your own container to get it or one of the two pubs in town. It is probably has no preservatives so it may or may not last the trip home. But if kept in the fridge it will probably make the trip.

Alittle story about the Dempster: I arrived at a little camping spot just off the road beside the Blackstone river about 8:30 in the evening. It was cold and the clouds were very ominous in the sky and as DBF says you felt very much way out in the boony's and totally alone in the world. The next morning I'am up early, dawn the chest waders and with fly rod in hand I proceed to catch grayling for a couple hrs. I never seen or heard a sole for the whole time. I get back to the camper cold and wet as it was 31' F and one leg of the waders leaked. With fish in one hand and fly rod in the other I was fussing with trying to get the door of the camper open when a Holland America bus pulls up and the flash bulbs started from the inside, then it drives off. It sure took the edge off the total wilderness feeling and being in the boony's.

Hi Pete (Mr. Goat) This thread is getting a lot of attention, which is beneficial to all who are interested in Alaska. So for anyone interest in going to Alaska jump in there and ask away. We have some great people here who are willing to share there experience with us. Great fishing story Pete. I'll remember to check out the brew in Haines.

Good post DBF. Maybe we will spend less time in Kenai, but Homer and the Spit are a must. I liked it there last time. That is interesting about Anchor Point and Deadhorse being the furthest places you can drive west and north respectfully. I'd like to try gold panning, might be fun.

dewdo, we won't forget Homer, I like that place. Another place I like is Seward. We haven't talked about it and the fishing Derby's. Now that place gets a lot of people.

Went to Kodiak on the last trip. I sure liked it , but it takes too long to get there by ferry. We are not planning on it this year.

 

[DBF]

I got a shock this morning when I found that the BC ferry "Queen Of The North" sank last Wednesday AM.



We took our truck & 5er on this ship on our 2003 trip by going west to Oregon, north to Port Angeles WA, the ferry to Victoria BC on lovely Vancouver Island, then camping our way north to Port Hardy. The 410-foot roll-on-roll-off ferry took us then to Prince Rupert, from where we went up the Cassiar.



The thought of that older but classic ferry on the bottom in 1200 feet of water is distressing. I guess my QOTN ball cap is now a collector's item.



And for anyone reading this thread, this will put a lot more pressure on the Alaska Maritime Highway taking people Bellingham-Port Rupert.



http://www.cbc.ca/bc/story/bc-ferrysinks20060322.html



Regards, DBF

 

[Grizzly]

Mr. Grizzly



Bella Coola or Prince Rupert BC: I do not know what your return route may be but if you exit the Yukon down Hwy#37 down past Hyder/Stewart. You can take the ferry from Prince Rupert down the coast to Port Hardy on the North end of Vancover Island. You MUST have reservations made at least 6 weeks in advance for the date you wish. l didn't, as I do not like to travel on a strict time schedule. So I couldn't get on. So I went to plan "B". I drove to Williams Lake BC and then west back out to the coast to Bella Coola and caught a ferry down to Port Hardy from there. ( It is advisable to also make reservations, I made mine 1 week prior with no problems) Well worth the effort. The hill (road) heading down out of the coast mtns into the Bella Coola valley is one you will tell your grand kids about!! Bella Coola has not yet been ruined by over tourisum, but it will be. I noticed a great change since I was last there 10 yrs ago, to last summer. The salmon fishing is usually decent, the bears are plentyful and there's hiking trials and great scenery. Very quaint and unsploiled. There are several very good camp grounds. Some private others provincial. The provincial ones seem to be suffering from bear problems as where I usually like to camp was closed due to Yogi and his buddies. The drive from Williams Lake to Bella Coola and all the experiences, you will greatly enjoy. Food and fuel was plentiful all along the route. Stop at Williams Lake and get forest service maps form the touisum office. They are loaded with little roads and provincial camp spots you will never find on your own.

The inland passage ferry ride to Port Hardy is the icing on the cake. Vancover Island is well worth it and a story on it's own!! Pete

Pete, We decided we will do the same trip as you described above. I want to go into Bella Coola and take the ferry to Port Hardy and spend some time in Vancouver Island. Mrs Grizzly can't get enough of Bushard (sp?) Gardens and Victoria. We were there last in 2002 and it is worth spending some time there. Do you catch the ferry at Belle Coola or Bella Bella? Sounds like an exciding place. Not far from Williams Lake is 100 Mile House. That's where I broke an axle on my 5th wheel in 1995. I had to stay there for 3 days till the new axle arrived from Kamloops. Very interesting little community, I got to know everybody there. Canadians are the friendliest people in the world.

 

[Grizzly]

I got a shock this morning when I found that the BC ferry "Queen Of The North" sank early Monday AM.

Regards, DBF

I heard about that in the news and Mr. Goat mentioned it on one of his post or on a PM. I didn't realize that two people are missing. What a tragedy. Makes one a little gun shy about getting on a ferry. We are still going to do. I like Mr. Goat's idea of ferry from Bella Coola to Port Hardy in Vancouver.

Hang on to your ball cap. Grizzly

 

[gonzo2]

Vancouver Island private campgrounds



Provincial campgrounds

 

[RRuggles]

We drove to Alaska in 1994, 2000, and 2004. Did not screen anything at any time, did not carry extra spare tires, did not carry extra fuel and at no time did we ever need any of it. Each time we went, the Alcan was in better shape with less construction. No problems either on the Cassiar or the Top of the World highway.

 

[DBF]

I heard about that in the news and Mr. Goat mentioned it on one of his post or on a PM. I didn't realize that two people are missing. What a tragedy. Makes one a little gun shy about getting on a ferry. We are still going to do. I like Mr. Goat's idea of ferry from Bella Coola to Port Hardy in Vancouver.

Hang on to your ball cap. Grizzly

Right now, there are NO ferries running the Port Hardy run. Not one. Zero. One sank, one is in drydock for overhaul.



And you mean Bella Bella, not Bella Coola. Bella Coola is not accessible by road.



Let things rest for a day or two while BC Ferries figures out how they're going to service the inland passage this summer, then make your reservation and stick with it.



One thing is for sure; there'll be fewer runs made and those take longer, now that they have to cover the work of two ships with one. The other ship coming out of overhaul is considerably smaller and somewhat slower.



Their current note about service shows partial restoration 4/15, see this link:

http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/notices/notice03270601.html



DBF

 

[Mr.Goat]

Glad to here you and Mrs. Grizzly are up for a little adventure. I'am sorry to say DBF you have your Bella's confused.

Bella Coola is accessable by Hwy#20 west out of Williams lake. Bella Bella is one in a group of three native villages (Campbell Island & Waglisla) which are located on islands straight west about 100 miles out from Bella Coola, only accessable by water(BC Ferries).



The Prince Rupert to Port Hardy run is extremely popular in the summer season. Plus the native villages down the coast depend on ferry service. So you can bet your boots something will be up and running in the near future. The ferry out of Bella Coola is not nearly as used because of the remote location and the hill coming down out of the coast mtns.

The "hill" as the locals call it is travelled by large trucks, after you have drove it in your Dodge you will have a lot of respect for those who drive large trucks over this route. You do not fool around on this hill. You go over the edge and it's a very long, long way down with nothing to slow you down except a few trees and lots of rock. And the bottom when you get there. I suspect if you did have the misfortune they would just throw some flowers and a bible down after you.

Do not let this discourage you as German tourist's rent cube van campers and drive them up and down the hill on a regular basis. And we who drive Dodge trucks are not going to be out done by German tourists in cube vans are "we"!! I do not recall ever seeing a fiver in Bella Coola as I know at the tourist office in Williams Lake they discourage it.



There is a tremendous amount of country to be seen between Williams lake and Bella Coola. If your feeling up to a little more adventure you can turn south at about mile 43 west out of Williams and head down to Nemaiah Valley from there a very rough 4x4 road takes you up and parallel to Chilko Lake and on to Tatlayoko lake. The road form there on up to Tatla Lake is just your standard gravel. This little jaunt will test every aspect of your rig set up, especiallythe latches on your cupboard doors. Onthis jaunt mine failed miserablely and ever since I have none breakable dishes and all the doors bungy corded shut. The road west out of Williams is paved for about the first 100 miles or so after that everything is gravel. Once you hit the bottom of the hill at Firvale she's paved again to Bella Coola, about 40 miles or so.

The senery all through this neck of the woods is good. If you get the forest service maps at the tourist office they will show you all kinds of little lakes with BC camp grounds that you will never find or know even existed without them. This is know place to worry about getting your truck dirty. You will learn to accept dust and mud. On the way down to Nemaiah Valley I backed my 95 into the lake at camp spot and washed the back of the camper down with the pee bucket to get the first layer of dust off so we could come and go without getting dirty. This section is also ranch ( cattle country) so at times you will see real cowboy type folks doing what they do.

Well I could say alot more but it getting late. Take this jaunt into Bella Coola Grizzly you will very much enjoy it, and most likely by the time you get there the ferry service will be up and running. The one out of Bella Coola was much smaller than the one that just sank. So it will probably be the one stil at Bella this year. just do like I did and sit out on the back deck in a nice comfy deck chair with a drink and a book, and if she goes down you will be the first one off!!!! Not to worry! Pete

 

[DBF]

Glad to here you and Mrs. Grizzly are up for a little adventure. I'am sorry to say DBF you have your Bella's confused.

Bella Coola is accessable by Hwy#20 west out of Williams lake. Bella Bella is one in a group of three native villages (Campbell Island & Waglisla) which are located on islands straight west about 100 miles out from Bella Coola, only accessable by water(BC Ferries).

Drat!! I keep doing that, even though I've seen them. Sorry. DBF

 

[Grizzly]

Vancouver Island private campgrounds



Provincial campgrounds

gonzo2 Thank you for the web sites. They are already being useful and will continue to be. Send anything else you can think of. Hope to hear from you again.



RRuggles. Thank you for your advice, however I am going to screen the front of the truck since I have a grill guard, thanks to a Christmas gift from Mrs Grizzly, and I have the 1/4" grid screen from my 95 Dodge. It's just cheep insurance. I am also thinking of installing a piece of lexan over the camper window, only because that glass is thermo pane and would cost me more then my deductable to replace it if it should break. I won't take extra tires nor gas can. I will have better heavy duty valve stems installed. On my 95 trip I did see many trucks and trailers with screens over the windshield and everywhere else and all the openings on the trailers sealed with duct tape. They looked a little hideous. A little precaution is good, a lot of precaution is ridicules. Let's hear more of your adventures to Alaska.

 

[Grizzly]

Mr. Goat and DBF: Mrs Grizzly (Bert) may have a little diesel in her blood, but she's also a little chicken when it come to really rough terrain, but we are going to do it. I like the idea of taking the ferry out of Bella Coola better then Prince Rupert. I just don't like making reservations too far ahead of time either. One week I can live with.

You two need to get together and write a book on your, "Alaska Adventures". Both of you have so much to offer. I love Pete's little side stories. Like the fishing story in Dawson City. Maybe you can get some impute from EEmondson, Speedo, dewdo and anyone else interested. You both obviously like talking about Alaska and know so much about almost every part of it. So, exchange phone numbers, e-mail address or do some PM'ing. If you were to do this, I'd buy the first copy.

 

[Mr.Goat]

Grizzly

DBF, I and the others have decided that with all the info we have given plus the added knowledge and experience you will have upon your return that you and Mrs. Grizzly will without a doubt be the new experts on the Alaska/Yukon BC travel circuit.

We will therefore hold off on authoring anything until your latest reseach and experiences come to light and you can join us.



You will find Vancouver Island a busy place up all the way up the inland highway to Campbell River, after that it quiets down somewhat.

I have friends a relatives in Campbell River so I bunk in with them when there. The salmon fishing is supposed to be world renouned there, and at one time it was. But compared to parts of Alaska it's poor.

Something you might want to consider is visiting some of the Islands that sit betwen Vancouver Island and the main land. They are very unique and interesting, with a much slower pace. For example Quadra is only a short ferry ride( 15 min) out of Campbell River. It is a fairly big island with many interesting campgrounds. I do some seakayaking off the north east side to Read Island usually when I'am out there.

Salt Spring Island is another I spent some time on. It is populated by two types of folks; Old hippies and draft dodgers who ended up there in the late sixties and have scratched out a living doing some sort of art work and cultivating illegal substances. From what I observed most of them still haven't changed there cloths or taken a bath since there arrival on the island. I called it the island where old hippies go to die!! The second group are the rich and famous ( Robin Williams) who have discovered the peace and tranquility of the place. Purchased ocean front property and built multi million dollar hide-a -ways. And in the process made a few old hippies rich in selling off there properties. The island is also poluted with deer. Take a drive after supper and there all over the place raiding peoples gardens. A 10 min ferry ride and well worth the visit. Other islands you may want to consider are, Cortes and Texada. Haven't been to them myself but I will.

You can also cross over to the mainland at Comox /Courtney to what they call the Sunshine coast to Powell River. From there south to Saltry Bay, to Earls Cove, to Gibsons, to Horseshoe Bay/Vancouver. I have done this trip. Mrs. Grizzly will like this one, very pretty, and laid back.

Mr. Gonzo2 should be able to chime in here and give you all sorts of tidbits of info, since it's his back yard.

ttlu Pete

 

[Trophy1]

Travel trailers

I am planing a trip also to Alaska in 2007 when I retire and have been following this thread with great interest. I do however want to haul my 27 foot travel trailer. Does a 5er really make that much difference on a trip like this or can we comfortable haul the TT? I also want to make part of the trip on the marine highway just to view parts of the inside passage. Does anyone know how expensive it would be with a quad cab short bed 2500 and a 27 foot TT? I would appreciate any help you folks can give me. Thanks in advance.

 

[Grizzly]

I am planing a trip also to Alaska in 2007 when I retire and have been following this thread with great interest. I do however want to haul my 27 foot travel trailer. Does a 5er really make that much difference on a trip like this or can we comfortable haul the TT? I also want to make part of the trip on the marine highway just to view parts of the inside passage. Does anyone know how expensive it would be with a quad cab short bed 2500 and a 27 foot TT? I would appreciate any help you folks can give me. Thanks in advance.

Since you have have been following this thread you know that I had problems with axles and 5th wheel tires on my '95 trip. I had my axles realigned at an RV shop in Fairbanks. In talking to the owner of the shop, who was an elderly gentleman and who had made the trip to the lower 48 numerous times, he told me that 5th wheels do okey with some axle and tire problems. He also said that TT have the same problems, but that there biggest problem is that they brake the hitch almost everytime. He said that class A motorhomes have problems with broken front springs going through the frost heaves. He said that the best RV's for the trip were cab-over-campers and very small motorhomes. Another thing he told me was that people pulling a small car behind there motorhome is a big mistake. They wind up trashing the car and braking the hitch. Having said that, I am hearing more and more that the Alcan and the Cassier Highways are greatly improved from '95. Maybe someone who has made the trip recently on a TT can step up and lets us know.

I talked to many many people along the way and I was told over and over that if you are serious about making the trip many times, to get a cab-over-camper, because you have no extra axles and no extra tires. The camper will go where your truck goes. You do need to have the right truck under the camper. That's why I sold the 5er and bought the camper, and since I had the 3500 DRW, I bought the largest camper Lance made at the time.

Someone with a TT help us out.

 

[EEdmondson]

Trophy,

Check the ferry web site for rates. Measure your truck and trailer length and height and be prepared to pay big $$$.

 

[Grizzly]

Mr. Goat. I think it's a good idea to take in some of those island between Vancouver and Seattle. I've always wanted to do that. That is if time permits. We do have to make time to visit my nephew in Seattle and my brother in Grants Pass, Oregon. Mrs Grizzly does have to get back to work. She's taking two months off.

We haven't talked much about Valdez. We definitely want to go there again. I did not go to Cordove in '95, which is a ferry trip. Anyone been there? What are your thoughs.

 

[DBF]

We haven't talked much about Valdez. We definitely want to go there again. I did not go to Cordove in '95, which is a ferry trip. Anyone been there? What are your thoughs.

Nice town. Good museum. Great support facilities (stores, repairs). Community college. Thompson Pass on the way into town gets more snow than anywhere else in Alaska (max was 976 inches in 52-53). Good glacier viewing just north of the pass. Excellent tours out into Prince William Sound with whale-viewing, etc.



Last we were there, we took the ferry to Whittier and drove onward to Seward, thus avoiding Anchorage in one direction. Good ferry trip.



Don't go to Cordova. The ferry is expensive and (other than fishing which you can do in other places) there isn't much to do/see.



Regards, DBF

 

[Grizzly]

Nice town. Good museum. Great support facilities (stores, repairs). Community college. Thompson Pass on the way into town gets more snow than anywhere else in Alaska (max was 976 inches in 52-53). Good glacier viewing just north of the pass. Excellent tours out into Prince William Sound with whale-viewing, etc.



Last we were there, we took the ferry to Whittier and drove onward to Seward, thus avoiding Anchorage in one direction. Good ferry trip.



Don't go to Cordova. The ferry is expensive and (other than fishing which you can do in other places) there isn't much to do/see.



Regards, DBF

Thanks for the information on Valdez, I sure liked it there in '95. I didn't know about there great amount of snow, that's a lot more then Wolf Creek, Colorado gets in one year. Thanks for the heads up on Cordova.

Question: Has anyone drove The Big Horn Highway (40) between Hinton, which is near Jasper, and Grande Prairie, which is heading toward Dawson Creek. It appears to be a good short cut to get to Dawson Creek from Jasper NP as oppose to going though near Edmonton or Prince George. The 05 Milepost says it's a good and paved highway and to watch for logging trucks.

Another question: Had anyone heard about the 16M acre Preserve Park that BC has unveiled recently and is called, "Great Bear Rainforest". The Park has grizzly and black bears, wolves, cougars, mountain goats, moose, deer and other wildlife. It is located along the rugged Pacific coastline and stretches some 250 miles between Vancouver and Alaska. Full implementation of the project Park is not expected until 2009. Looks like it takes in the area around Bella Coola. I clipped on article in the Albuquerque Journal dated, 8 Feb 06 and titled, "Compromises Yield a Park in Canada". george

 

[gonzo2]

Well, where to start?



The Big Horn Highway (Hwy 40) is probably the best route North from Jasper. We took it last summer pulling my fifth wheel and quite enjoyed the drive, especially North of Grande Cache. Depending on which way you enter Canada from South you may want to consider taking the Hwy 22/40 combo on the way to Banff as well, much nicer than Hwy 2 to Calgary.



If the B. C. Ferries are still buggered this summer (and it looks like they may be) you may want to skip the Bella Coola portion and keep heading South to Hwy 99 through Lillooet and Whistler. The portion from Lilooet to Pemberton is called Duffy Lake Road and calling it a Highway is probably optimistic, but it is still paved and an excellent drive as far as scenery and campgrounds etc.



You can then take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay and either head directly over to Vancouver Island or do a counter-clockwise loop through the Sunshine Coast. Personally I wouldn't bother with the Sunshine Coast if I was heading South down the Island from Port Hardy (from the Bella Coola ferry) on the way to Victoria.



I'll post some more info when I get a chance over the next couple of days. Any questions, just ask.